Intentional Encouragement

     Those of you familiar with our situation right now know that we have purposely put ourselves in a position where we will be in trouble if God doesn't come through.  That's a rough quote from a statement made by Francis Chan that I got from a friend a few weeks ago.  I'm still mulling over those words and have found myself enlivened and refreshed by their challenge.  It's funny how we see things more often when we are consciously thinking about them.  I was reading this morning from 1 Kings 17 about Elijah the prophet of God.  He was singularly used of God in a dramatic way.  He prayed and it stopped raining...for 3 years.  He prayed again and it rained.  He prayed and God raised a young man from the dead.  God did some incredible things through Elijah.      This morning I read the account of the widow that Elijah stopped to visit in the little town of Zarephath.  You're probably familiar with...

     Have you felt at times like you had no idea where you were going?  Obviously, as a guy, I never admit that I don't know where I am going.  Even if I might be going the wrong direction, I hesitate to stop and ask when I am making such good time!  But of course, what I want to talk about today is not driving directions, but those times when life puts you in a spot that you don't know where you are going.      I have a couple of thoughts to share with you from Hebrews 11.  You may recognize that chapter as the "Hall of Faith" in the Bible.  Don't get scared off by that.  It mentions a lot of people who saw amazing victories because they were willing to walk by faith: people who "conquered kingdoms, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, received back their dead by resurrection."   Are some of those stories you learned in Sunday school coming back to mind?  But it also mentions others, wh...

     I'm working on some thoughts for an upcoming message that will conclude a study in the life of David (King of Israel).  There is a lot to learn from his life, both good and bad (mostly good).  He was, by the description of God Himself, a "man after God's own heart."  I've entitled the series of messages on his life "In Sync with God."  We've been studying about what it's like to live the kind of life that would evoke that description by God.      As I draw the series to a conclusion, and focus my attention on 1 Chronicles 29, I'm reminded of something that was pointed out to me about 12 years ago by a counseling professor during grad school.  She pointed to Acts 13:36 as a verse by which she guided her life.  "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with fathers and saw corruption..."      I suppose your reaction may be the ...

     I was reading from the Psalms this morning and came to the 131 st .   It’s only 3 verses long, but I immediately sensed that I should put a few thoughts down in print about them.   Since it’s so short; let me quote it: O L ord , my heart is not lifted up; My eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul. Like a weaned child with its mother, Like a weaned child is my soul within me. Oh Israel , hope in the L ord from this time forth and forevermore. (ESV)      Just reading along; I wondered how many times I have waited for “things to calm down.”   I find it interesting (and encouraging) that I can calm and quiet my own soul.   I don’t have to wait for external things to settle down.  If I'm honest; I'm usually "occupying myself" with things that I really can't control anyway; "things too great for me." ...

     I just spent the last few days praying for and visiting my father who, at 82, spent nearly a week in the hospital with pneumonia.  I know others who are facing struggles with mobility; from backs to bones to joints.   I know some who have undiagnosed pain and physical symptoms that the doctor can’t find a source for.   Of course, I haven’t even mentioned those who are struggling with personal issues that are not of a physical nature. Then came this morning.  I watched in horror (as I'm sure you did) as the news reports came in about the tragedy in Colorado. As of this writing of this post, there are 12 dead and 59 more injured; many critically.  It has the potential to be the greatest loss of life of its kind in a very long time. There are no explanations for something like this.      Perhaps some words of encouragement are in order.      First, I want to remind you tha...

            My wife and I have just stepped into a transition time.  This past Sunday, after our morning worship service, I read my resignation to our church family.  While it was something that had been brewing in our hearts for some time and something which we are supremely confident that God wanted us to do, it is still very difficult to declare an end to a pastoral relationship with people whom you have served with and loved for almost 9 years.  In some ways; it is made more difficult for us since we do not know yet where we are going next.  We are simply convinced that God has said "start walking; I'll let you know when you get there."  A good friend of mine sent me this quote from Francis Chan and it means a lot to me right now: "God doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doe...

     I love all the talk about freedom.   The longer I live in Southeastern Virginia and gain new friends who serve in the military; the more I appreciate the sacrifice of those who have given their lives to secure and defend my freedom.   It is a wonderful joy to me to live in a land where I can worship as I choose and serve the Lord without fear of interference from governmental intervention.      I have been sitting today thinking about a statement I read many years ago about freedom.   In many ways, it has plagued me, for I find myself mulling over the implications of the words.   The statement was made by a Christian who was in the Soviet Union .   You remember the days when that was a bastion of religious persecution, don’t you?   This brother was asked what it was like to be a Christian in a state openly adverse to Christianity.   Here was his response:      “In Russia we are tes...